BK:Illusory Wings and the Question for the Ocean
by musicalS377
Summary: It has been almost twenty years since the return of the Ocean. Fee, the son of Kalas and Xelha, and his Guardian Spirit must save the world from a dark imbalance of Chronos. Features a whole new cast of characters and some old favorites, too.
1. Prologue

Baten Kaitos: Illusory Wings and the Question for the Ocean

Summary: It has been almost twenty years since the return of the Ocean. Fee, the son of Kalas and Xelha, and his Guardian Spirit must save the world from a dark imbalance of Chronos. Features a whole new cast of characters and some old favorites, too.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Baten Kaitos, Namco, and anything else that belongs to someone else. I will not profit from this story in any way shape or form (other than enjoying a much-needed sequel).

Prologue

The forest around Nekton had always known the children of Kalas and Xelha; the youngest daughter, Graye, who loved climbing the trees and jumping down from them; the stout middle child, Rikki, who followed the steps of his elder brother and imitated him in all things; and the eldest, Fee, who was the most adventurous and the most daring. The three of them came out into the forest, their feet taking them unknowingly down paths their father had traveled more than ten years ago. Their hands caught at bushes and branches where winged evil had once perched, and they were unafraid because they knew that evil lurked here no longer. The wildlife that had crept into the Shrine after the evacuation of evil was docile and shy, and the Spirits kept the predators at bay, so that the children never saw any animal.

The eldest child, Fee, spent more time in the Forest that the other two. His blue hair streaked with gold shone in the patches of sunlight littered about the paths, and his solitary presence seemed to call to the Spirits that dwelled half-in, half-out. They were fascinated by him, and he by them, and although they didn't trade words, they watched each other. Some of the Spirits had notions of bonding with him, which was rare in and of itself since the last Spirit-bond had been Kalas and Sarai, some thirteen years ago. The Spirits of Nekton understood that they only bonded when Chronos was disrupted, either on the micro level of an individual or the macro level of the entire society. In Kalas's situation both had been disrupted, and the other Spirits admired the steps that Sarai had taken (which included bonding with someone that was not her chosen) to ensure that Chronos was balanced again.

One Spirit in particular was worried about the need to bond with Fee. He wasn't sure where he had been before he had been called to this child, but he understood that Fee would need his help. He had seen glimpses into Chronos, disturbing snapshots from Fee's future, and knew that it was his time to bond when he found the boy perched in the crook of a tall tree one warm morning at summer's end.

_Fee._

Fee raised his head in surprise, the bit of wood he had been carving into a whale falling out of his hands. Luckily for him, the knife he had been using stayed firmly in his hand; he had learned a good lesson about being careful around knives a few months ago, when he and Rikki had found Dad's sword. The scar running across his forearm throbbed with the memory of the sharp, burning pain.

_Fee..._ It came again, and he slid the knife back into its sheath and hopped down from his perch to retrieve the carving he had been making for Graye. He could feel a Spirit close by, closer than any other Spirit he had felt, and the presence set the soft blue hairs at the back of his neck on end. It felt like this Spirit was abandoning its own world for Fee's.

"What are you doing?" He demanded, and brought out the short-staff his mother had given him. It wouldn't do much good against a Spirit, but he couldn't just stand there empty-handed, in case this was something dangerous. The Spirit's aura grew, until Fee could feel it brushing against the hairs on his arms.

_I want to help you, Fee._

"You mean you want to bond with me?" Fee's blue eyes grew wider, then he grinned. "Is this for real?"

_It is._

"What's your name?"

The Spirit paused, his aura shivering as something shot through it.

_I think it is S'rian._

"How can you not know your own, but know mine?"

_I entered this world for you. It is hard to maintain self when you are drawn so strongly to such a vibrant personality as yours, Fee._

"Oh." Fee didn't know how to respond to that, but the Spirit let out an exclamation of pain, and Fee spread his hands toward the aura, fingertips tingling as they entered the "body" of the Spirit. "Hurry," Fee exclaimed, knowing without understanding that it was vitally important for S'rian to come over _now_.

_Fee..._

The Spirit paused for a moment, collecting up his own memories, and Fee could feel something like a door slamming shut behind S'rian. The Spirit exploded toward Fee with a physical burst that sent Fee backwards, slamming against the tree he had been climbing.

"What was that?" Fee asked once he had caught his breath, and as he moved forward, S'rian's presence swirled around him. A warm sensation spread down his body and curled around his heart, cushioning it and memorizing how it felt. Blood rushed in his veins, an odd sensation that he had only felt once before, when he had sliced his arm open. S'rian was merging with him, synchronizing his "body" with Fee's, beating in time with Fee's heart. Fee's feet left the ground for a moment, and he understood how it felt to fly. His wingless body knew the sensation of soaring on his wings of the heart, those extensions of soul that most of the people had when his father was young.

They breathed together, and when Fee opened his eyes, he was still floating above the ground.

S'rian gave a little chuckle that tickled Fee, and apologized, _Sorry, Fee. I didn't know that would happen._

He carefully lowered Fee to the ground.

"That was amazing," Fee smiled, and closed his eyes. "But what happened just before that?"

_Something chased me out of my home world._

S'rian sounded so distraught about it that Fee felt his stomach twisting in sympathy.

"What would do that?"

_Something that didn't want me to bond with you. Probably someone from this world, at that. _S'rian sighed. _Do you have any family enemies?_

"None that I know of. I could ask Mom, I bet she knows some people that don't like us." Fee started walking back toward home, and could feel S'rian following.

_I'd like that. I'd like to meet Xelha again._

Fee stopped and turned. "What do you mean, again?"

S'rian was silent for a long moment. _I don't know. I feel like I've met her before. _He gave a little shiver that Fee was beginning to associate with memory, and continued, _Whatever the case may be, we should go consult your mother. What about your father? You do have one?_

"Of course I do. Doesn't everyone?"

_If you are asking me if I have one, I can only say that I don't remember. When Spirits cross over, we do not retain all of the memories that occurred in our other world. Actually, I am dead now to everyone from my world... and they are nearly dead to me, preserved in the few memories I could retain before I was forced over. _

Fee expressed concern that S'rian could not remember, and S'rian shrugged. _It doesn't really matter... It is enough to know you, in this world. My world will keep until I return to it._

"Oh." His feet fell ploddingly on the path, crushing the leaves and needles scattered on the ground and making the air fresh with the strong bite of pine. S'rian hovered close behind, his aura brushing against Fee every so often, but it was a comforting brush of leather against his own aura. He hadn't realized until that moment that he had an aura very similar to S'rian's, a sphere of sense that he could stretch in any direction. His shoulder blades itched as he swung his arms, and he wondered if someone was behind them. He had heard Kalas speaking of an itch between his shoulders, in the middle of his back, as if someone had painted a large bull's eye on his back and the spot where the arrow would go was bothering him prematurely. The Guardian Spirit touched the spot, and the itch disappeared.

_It's just your imagination_, S'rian informed him.

Fee found his mother in the kitchen, preparing dinner. She looked up as he rushed in, and smiled as he came to stand beside her. "Hi, Fee."

"Hi, Mom." Fee leaned over the dish of vegetables that Xelha was shelling and took a few. Instead of reprimanding him, as he had expected, she gave him an odd look.

"Do you have someone with you?" She finished shelling the pea pod in her hand and turned toward Fee. The boy could feel his Spirit reaching toward Xelha, and couldn't help but grin.

Xelha put her hand out and touched the Spirit, then pulled back and gasped. "A Guardian Spirit?!"

_It is nice to meet you, Xelha._ S'rian's voice sounded calm.

"Your voice tickles, Spirit. What's your name?"

_S'rian._

"You feel familiar," Xelha said, and then her expression changed. "Wait just one moment, Fee. You went out into the Shrine again?"

Fee blushed and looked down at the floor.

"Haven't I told you-- hasn't your father told you-- to stay out of there? It's not safe, Fee!"

"It is safe now!" Fee protested. "The Spirits keep it safe!"

Xelha put her hands on her hips, looking angry now. "The Spirits couldn't keep it safe twenty years ago, when all of the foul creatures were in there. Your father and I had to fight them, and we were much older than you are."

_I can protect him, Xelha, _S'rian interjected. _There aren't any demon creatures in there now._

Xelha crossed her arms and looked right at Fee as she said, "I know you can protect him, S'rian, but I'm worried about Fee's younger brother and sister, who follow his every move. Rikki worships you, Fee, and if you go in there he will follow you. The same with Graye."

Fee was about to protest that his siblings had been out in Nekton many times, but S'rian said through Fee, "I'll try not to worry you, Mom." Xelha was satisfied with Fee's response, and smiled.

"Run along, Fee, and go collect your father from the palace. He's helped Lord Calbren quite enough today."

Fee waited until he was outside to yell at S'rian. "Why did you do that?"

_You would have been in more trouble if your mother found out that you've been leading your brother and sister into the Shrine. _S'rian shrugged. _I'm looking out for you, Fee. We can go into Nekton now, as long as your brother and sister don't follow us._

"But still, that wasn't very nice! Don't ever put words in my mouth again." Fee walked through the arched entrance of Balancoire as he said this. Xelha and Kalas lived just outside of the City, closer to Nekton, to give themselves and their children peace from the watchful community. A lot of people knew, now, that two of the heroes that had saved the world from Malpercio had married and were now living in Mira. The celebrity life had faded in the past five years, but by that time, Kalas and Xelha were well settled in their home, and didn't want to move into the city.

S'rian was silent for a long moment, and Fee went over to the bridge overlooking the aqueduct and leaned on the rocky railing. "Look, S'rian," he said softly, and he could feel the Guardian hovering behind him. "I still like you, but you can't just take me over like that. Are you listening?"

_Yes, I'm listening. _

"Come on, then, let's get Dad and go home for supper."

_All right... Let's go._


	2. Chapter 1

Baten Kaitos: Illusory Wings and the Question for the Ocean

Summary: It has been almost twenty years since the return of the Ocean. Fee, the son of Kalas and Xelha, and his Guardian Spirit must save the world from a dark imbalance of Chronos. Features a whole new cast of characters and some old favorites, too.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Baten Kaitos, Namco, and anything else that belongs to someone else. I will not profit from this story in any way shape or form (other than enjoying a much-needed sequel).

Chapter 1

Five years later...

The knock at the door made Fee look up in panic. "Shit," he cursed softly, and turned to his mirror to deal with his unruly hair. Most of the gold highlights had faded into the blue, which made the few gold streaks stand out as if someone had thrown bleach at him.

"Hurry up, Fee!" His father's tenor voice echoed through the wood of the door. Fee could hear his father's receding footsteps, and looked around for his mahogany-colored dress shirt.

_Maybe if you pick a color that doesn't work with your hair, your "admirer" won't want to get into your pants so badly._

"No comments from the peanut gallery, please," Fee suggested to the Spirit, but he was smiling as he pulled on the shirt. He had grown so sick of wearing black, tan, and yellow that he had searched around for alternate colors. This dye had caught so well on the silkier fabrics that he had several shirts with brighter or deeper variants of this color.

_You know everyone is going to compliment you on how that shirt matches your eyes._

"Still don't need your snide remarks, S'rian."

The Spirit just laughed at him.

Fee shrugged and combed his hair back with his fingers, then pulled it forward. "I need a trim. This hair is unmanageable today."

_Just put that headband in it and let's go!_

"What's the rush?" Fee asked, as he slid the headband up.

The Spirit chuckled. _I have my reasons._

The door opened without a knock, and Fee whirled on the intruder. "What did I... oh, its just you, Rikki." Rules like "knocking before entering" never applied to Rikki, and Fee didn't even bother reprimanding the fourteen-year-old.

"They're waiting downstairs for you."

_And people say that girls take a long time to get ready._

Rikki had no reaction to S'rian's comment; in fact, it appeared that Rikki hadn't heard him at all. The middle child was deaf when it came to Spirits; he couldn't feel them, or hear them. The only way he could sense S'rian was when Fee used him in battle.

Fee bit his lip to keep from snapping something back at S'rian; Rikki felt horrible when he was reminded that he couldn't hear S'rian, and Fee couldn't do that to his brother, even accidentally.

"Are you ready?"

Fee pulled fingers through his hair one more time and nodded. "Let's go."

"Are you prepared to deal with your girlfriend?" Kalas asked, smiling, as Fee and Rikki came out.

"Kalas!" Xelha said in surprise, and gave her husband a look. "You shouldn't say that!"

Kalas grinned at Xelha and shrugged. Xelha's stern face dissolved and she shook her head. "You shouldn't encourage them like that."

"Nothing wrong with letting my eldest know that I think his girlfriend is--" Xelha put her hand over his mouth.

"Don't even think it, Kalas."

Kalas held his hands up in mock surrender and let Xelha led him away from Fee. He looked over his shoulder and Fee grinned back. He would have loved to hear Kalas finish that sentence... he would have put the words "a complete idiot" there, himself, but his father would have found a more colorful description.

Liane was the daughter of Melodia, and as such, was the Heir to the Miran government. She was also a complete idiot, and was fawning over Fee because she was under the spell of the thought that "sons of heroes are dreamy". There was no changing Liane's mind, either, and whenever she found Fee she would latch onto his arm and snuggle into his neck. Just thinking about it sent shivers up his spine. Usually Rikki and Graye were able to pry him away so he could socialize with the other inhabitants of Balancoire.

_Not looking forward to seeing Liane today?_

Fee hung back a little so he could mutter, "I am sick of her. I spent five hours with her last week! What does she want?"

_She wants you to ask her to marry you._

Fee blanched. "I'm sixteen!" He yelped, and then blushed as Xelha looked back at him. "I can't get married!" He hissed when she looked away.

S'rian shrugged. _She seems to think you want to marry her._

Fee shook his head. "I need to get away from this place for a little while."

_Maybe you can go visit Savyna and Mayfee for a bit. _

Fee's entire family had gone to visit the Turning Leaf Restaurant about two years ago, and the things that Savyna cooked up made Fee think that she had been cooking her entire life. But she was one of the "heroes," so she must have had a fighting background from somewhere. Savyna was soft-spoken and rarely spoke of anything that she had done before she set up shop. "I could go there. Just to get away," he agreed. "Dad and Mum will let me go."

The gates to Balancoire loomed large above the group. The gates had been a recent addition, and as they opened to admit them Fee stumbled. He caught himself with a start, and for a moment the buildings shifted... There were fewer buildings than the ones he had just seen, and the aqueduct was nearly empty. The Magnus shop was a burnt, black mess-- and then the image shifted, and the Balancoire that he saw was the one he knew. The water sloshed through the aqueduct, rushing noises echoing in the large space. A boy stepped out of the Magnus shop and Rikki ran up to him, exchanging shouted greetings.

Graye touched his elbow, and he jumped. "Are you okay, Fee?"

He stared at her for a moment and then smiled. "I'm fine, Graye. It was nothing." She smiled and caught up to their parents, who were already near Trill's bakery. Fee shook his head and asked S'rian, "Did you see that?"

S'rian's response came from a great distance at first, almost as if he was speaking from across the aqueduct at Fee. _I did see that. I think I gave that image to you... _S'rian's presence suddenly flooded against Fee's body, as if he had tossed himself at Fee and Fee had caught him. _Chronos was interrupted here, a long time ago._

"What?"

_Never mind, Fee. _S'rian sounded sad. _It's my mission, to find where Chronos is disturbed, and try to set it right. _He chuckled. _Pay no attention, I'm rambling._

"Yeah, you are. If I can help you with that mission, let me know."

_Sure. _S'rian smiled, a motion that Fee felt as liquid sunlight splashing down his body. He had gotten used to the odd sensations that came from the bond they shared, but these few were hitting him like they had at the very beginning. Could it have anything to do with S'rian sounding far away?

Rikki grabbed Fee's shoulder and began pulling him along. "Time to face the music, brother."

Fee glared at him. "I think you're enjoying my discomfort!"

Rikki beamed. "I'm lazy. I don't have to torment you if Liane is doing just as wonderful a job."

Fee rolled his eyes. "What a brother you are. You will come rescue me?"

"Of course. Wouldn't want you to set Liane on me."

Fee snorted, and he and Rikki walked together.

"...Of course, I think we should bring another Pollywhale and put it into the aqueduct because they are soooooo cute! What do you think, Fee? Yeah, that's a good idea. When I'm Duchess of Mira, that's one thing I promise to do. Aww, Fee, I'm so glad you came to my party! You will dance with me after supper, right? That's what I thought. See, I think you should sit next to..."

_Annoyed yet? I certainly am._

"...Because my mother hasn't seen you in a week and I know she wants you to sit with us and maybe we can house you in the castle, we have enough rooms upstairs, and then I could see you every day! Oooh, look, Ursula and Perrias have just arrived! Let's go introduce..."

_Might want to catch that drool before it hits your new boots, I know they were expensive._

"...And then we can go out on the veranda and be _alone_, because I know you've been dying to get away from all these people and spend some _quality time_ with me..."

_If you do that, Fee, I will have to be loudly and violently sick in Liane's ear._

Fee started laughing, and quickly turned it into a cough. He had avoided Liane for nearly two hours, but, inevitably, he had to give his congratulations for turning sixteen, and then she had caught him. For the past twenty minutes, the conversation had been dominated by Liane, with secret punctuations and inserted comments from S'rian, who was doing his best to make Fee laugh. He was being steered toward two ugly-looking sisters, who blinked their squinty eyes at Liane as she started her monologue. They wanted her to shut up as much as Fee did, which made him feel a kinship with them.

As soon as Liane was in motion, Fee was able to daze off and wonder about the image that S'rian had shown him. Had S'rian always seen these things, and this was the first time Fee had seen it with him? Or was this the first time? The spot between his shoulder blades itched suddenly, so suddenly that he jumped and scratched ferociously for a moment. The itch seemed to be more than just a surface tickle. Was someone behind him, sighting down the shaft of an arrow or the barrel of a gun?

S'rian gave a little shiver behind Fee, and glided closer, touching the spot as he had when they had first bonded. The itch dissipated, but the Guardian gave a curious noise.

"... All right, Fee?" Liane said, and caught his hand. Her brown eyes stared up at Fee with adoration, and he gave her a smile that probably looked as fake as it felt. She smiled back, though, and then angled her head to look behind him. "Oh, look at the sun! It's nearly time for dinner! No wonder you're spacing out, you must be starving! I'll just go see how dinner is coming along. Don't move from this spot, Fee," she demanded, and squeezed his hand. She bounced off, her green dress trailing behind her, and Fee let out a large sigh of relief.

The two girls Liane had been bothering giggled at his sigh, and smiled. "If you want to run off, we'll make sure she doesn't know which way you went."

"Thank you very much," Fee smiled, and looked around to see if he recognized anyone in the crowd. If it weren't for Liane, this party could have been enjoyable. Everyone had turned out, even the people from Parnasse (although the two main chefs from Parnasse were boisterously arguing over the snack table) and quite a few of his parent's generation had shown up.

Dariye and Gimmel waved at him from across the crowd that was gathered in the newly renovated palace foyer. It was much larger, now, and had seating accommodations scattered across the giant floor. There was a large square of dancing floor, and a sectioned off area where instruments were set up. There would be dancing later, which filled Fee with dread because although he could move in the dance of battle, he was clumsy and stiff in the dance of the courts. He waved back and hurried over to them.

Dariye swung her long brown ponytail behind her and giggled. "I see you've escaped from Her Highness's clutches."

Fee gave an exaggerated sigh. "I'm lucky she's in charge of preparations, or I would never have gotten away." He grinned at Gimmel. Dariye and Gimmel were Fee's age, although their parents were from two very different backgrounds. Dariye's parents had come from Duhr, and although they still wore masks occasionally, they were adjusting to living free of the poisonous gas of the Taintclouds. Gimmel's family came from Alfard, having been officers in the Imperial Army when it had been the superior force of the sky. They had left, not in protest of Lyude's campaign for ruler, but because they wanted to change their lives. The Empire had not helped them much after Geldoblame had died. "Where are your parents?" He asked them, looking around at the many unfamiliar faces.

"My parents are around here somewhere," Gimmel shrugged, his dark hair flopping in his eyes. He was a sturdy, broad-shouldered young man who could be posing as bodyguard for Dariye, who was skinny and short. "You can hardly recognize them as outsiders now. Mira has been beneficial for them."

"Dad is speaking with the Lady Melodia." Dariye rolled her eyes. "I wish he'd adapt to this lifestyle, instead of keeping his old ways alive... It's embarrassing, bringing friends home and hearing him address himself as 'The Great Kamroh'... One of my friends laughed in his face." She shook her head. "I'm glad we're here, but I just want to get away from the folks."

Fee smiled as he remembered his plan to escape Mira, and S'rian asked, _Why don't you invite them?_

Dariye looked up in surprise, and then giggled. "Your Spirit is here? You didn't tell me that!"

"S'rian comes with me everywhere. In fact, I can't get him to leave me alone."

"Well, hello, S'rian." Dariye looked in S'rian's general direction with a smile.

"I can almost see him... Can't hear him though." Gimmel was squinting fixedly behind Fee.

_Tell him he will hear me in time. _S'rian loved being able to communicate with others. He had explained to Fee, more than once, that he liked being able to communicate with people other than Fee, although it wasn't because Fee was horrible company. He enjoyed the company of others, and there were few that could speak with him.

"S'rian says you will hear him in time." Gimmel looked a little happier once Dariye had told him that.

_Tell them about your trip, Fee!_

"Oh, right!" Fee motioned for them to join him as he began walking toward the music room, where they could talk in relative quiet. This room had been unmodified, mostly because this had been Lord Calbren's favorite room and Melodia still missed her Uncle, who had died the previous fall.

"What trip?" Dariye asked, and moved around the room, admiring the historic instruments here. Because her people had had to wear masks, wind instruments had not been part of the Duhr culture. Dariye had recently taken up oboe and was already well versed in flute and clarinet.

Fee explained his journey to Anuenue, and concluded with his need to get away from Liane. Gimmel nodded approvingly as he finished.

"Maybe she'll move on if you leave for a while."

_Ha! Unlikely. She'll want you until one of you dies._

Fee laughed and pointed out, "Maybe I'll have to kill myself to get away from her!"

S'rian chuckled.

"I'll see if Dad will let me go. It would be good to get out of this weird place." Dariye ran her fingers down one of the cases, tracing the curling design of the saxophone inside the case.

"You think your parents will?" Gimmel asked her nervously, and went to stand on the other side of the case. "My mom's pretty strict about that sort of stuff."

"I don't see how they can stop us. We can just tell them that Fee wants us to go... My dad's always had a soft spot for Fee's parents." Dariye bit her bottom lip and then suggested, "Tell them you're going for the cultural experience, or something like that."

"I still have to ask my parents," Fee cautioned them, and then something slammed into his right foot. He yelped and toppled backward, missing the glass of the nearest stand by inches. A panel from the floor had lifted and moved sideways... almost as if something was trying to come out. He grabbed at his foot as his ankle spasmed with pain, but it wasn't sprained. He would have a nasty bruise for a while.

_Someone is down there._

"What is it?" Dariye pulled a Magnus card from the pouch at her side and cast the light spell. The hole glowed with shadows, and a pale face peeked up at them from inside the tunnel. A glow emanated from behind the figure, and Fee couldn't see well from his position. Before he could get up, the glow faded.

Gimmel knelt beside Fee and helped him up, as Dariye pulled the person out. It was a child, maybe seven or eight, with pale eyes and hair. Dariye wrapped him in her autumn cloak because he was shivering, but Fee could tell that the child wasn't shivering because he was cold. He was afraid... but of what, Fee wasn't sure. S'rian went silent and still, watching the child, and Fee's vision wavered and changed.

They were in the tunnel, chasing each other. It was dark and wet, and he was chasing someone that looked like himself. A light appeared up ahead, and they moved toward it, curious. They could see feet on the top rung of a ladder...

_No!_ S'rian yelled, and Fee swayed back into focus. He was on his knees, and the child had Fee's face in his tiny hands, a look of joy on his face.

"I thought you died," the child said wondrously, and hugged Fee. Fee didn't wrap his arms around the child, but held them up to Dariye in a confused gesture. S'rian was far away, and struggling to get the memory-- or whatever it was-- under control.

"Why did you think I had died?" Fee asked when he had drawn his thoughts together, the child still hanging onto him like he was the only family he had left.

The child pulled back slowly, his pale eyes filled with suspicion. "You don't remember the fire?"

"What fire? I don't think I'm who you think I am."

The child's eyes filled with tears. "How can you not remember?! We lost everything! I lost you!"

_The fire... pretend you know about the fire! Keep him talking!_ S'rian was so soft that Fee thought he had imagined it, but the instructions came again a little louder.

"Oh, um, yeah, the fire. I remember. It's out now, friends came to put it out."

The child began crying, his head in his hands.

_You did it wrong!_ S'rian accused, louder. Apparently the vision was under control, because Fee could feel the warmth of the Spirit bond burn through his veins, and it tingled with the strength of the Spirit. Fee could feel S'rian closer and more powerful than he ever had... _Dariye, get Xelha and Kalas. _The words burned into Fee, who winced at the strength of them. The child began wailing, and Fee turned to him. This was one thing he could manage.

"Hey, hey, I'm sorry," he said softly to the child, and held his arms open. The child flung himself at Fee, wrapping his arms around Fee's neck and sobbing into his shoulder. The wails turned into words, gradually, and he could hear Dariye tell Gimmel to stay and protect Fee and the child.

"...Leave me? I was so lonely! How could you leave me, Kalas?"

Fee shivered as the name became clear. _Kalas... he thinks I'm my father?_

_Rub his back._ S'rian gathered at Fee's shoulder, working his way down Fee's arm so that when Fee touched the child, the Spirit slid over the hysterical boy and calmed him.

Xelha and Kalas entered the room, closely followed by Dariye and a pair of palace guards that had heard the crying. Fee was facing the door, child crying with little hiccoughs now, and watched as his father stopped dead. Did he recognize the child?

_Is that…?_ S'rian asked very quietly. The child stopped crying and curled onto Fee's knees, falling asleep. As the child slid into the crook of Fee's arm, Fee felt himself growing tired, as well. Something was drawing energy from him... The corners of his vision began to fade.

"Fee?" Kalas said, brokenly.

"What, Dad?" Fee asked softly, and looked blearily at Dariye, who was beside him, holding her arms out to take the child.

"No, not you. Him." Kalas pointed right at the child. "That is-- was-- my brother, Fee. But he died... I saw him die..." Kalas shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair.

"He thought I was you," Fee said, and handed the child to Dariye, who carefully wrapped him in her cloak and stood with his small body in her arms. Fee swayed, and was glad that he was kneeling on the floor, or he would have fallen.

Xelha put her hand on Kalas's arm, and he looked at her with wide eyes.

"How is this possible? Sarai told me that he gave his life so you could live..." Xelha took Kalas's hand and led him over to the small body in Dariye's arms.

Fee slumped over and S'rian was beside him, resting a "hand" on his cheek. _It'll be all right, Fee. _

Fee drifted off into a dream in which he had wings, and was flying to a sky-island, carrying a sword wet with blood.


	3. Chapter 2

Baten Kaitos: Illusory Wings and the Question for the Ocean

Summary: It has been almost twenty years since the return of the Ocean. Fee, the son of Kalas and Xelha, and his Guardian Spirit must save the world from a dark imbalance of Chronos. Features a whole new cast of characters and some old favorites, too.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Baten Kaitos, Namco, and anything else that belongs to someone else. I will not profit from this story in any way shape or form (other than enjoying a much-needed sequel).

Chapter 2

Xelha felt the Spirit enter the kitchen before he reached out to her. She couldn't sleep, not with Kalas tossing and turning like he had after Sarai had left him; the Guardian had been blocking most of his nightmares about his journey on the darker side, and Kalas had played catch-up for almost a month before a good night's sleep finally came around to him. Xelha sincerely hoped that he wasn't having those nightmares again.

"Is that you, S'rian?"

The Spirit chuckled. _It is. Fee is sleeping soundly, but there is no rest for a Guardian Spirit. I was hoping you would be up, so we could talk._

Xelha twirled the glass of water on the table and asked, "Talk about what?"

_About Fee. Both of them_.

"All right, S'rian, go ahead. Why did Fee-- my son-- collapse today?"

_That was a bit of an... oversight on my part,_ S'rian mumbled sheepishly. _I took his energy to calm the young Fee._

"Didn't work too well, did it?"

_Don't get snippy, Xelha._

Xelha sighed. "I'm sorry, S'rian, really I am. I've had a long day today, and tomorrow will be longer."

_I'm sorry, too. I'm on the end of a long rope, and it's fraying in my hands._ S'rian moved closer to Xelha. _I've been here for a long time, and I'm starting to get memories. I don't know whose memories they are... _

"What sort of memories?" Xelha was fascinated; Sarai had never spoken this much. In the short time she had been bonded to Sarai, the Spirit had been passive, tagging along for the ride. S'rian seemed to be driving it.

_Memories from before you and Kalas were born. _

"Have you been a Spirit for that long?"

_Longer, I think... but it doesn't matter. _S'rian gathered his thoughts, his aura shimmering, and asked, _How much do you know about Guardian Spirits?_

"I know that no two Spirits are from the same world, and that time runs faster in the Spirit's worlds than here."

_Yes. But did you know that Spirits have a mission when they come into this world?_

"What sort of mission?" Xelha took a sip of her water, and spun the glass again. The water sloshed up the sides, wetting her fingers.

_A mission that deals with Chronos. Whenever the Chronos of an individual is affected, we bond. Or, whenever the Chronos of the world is affected, we have a mission to reverse whatever time-related problem there is. With you, and Kalas, Sarai had both types of interruption to fix. Kalas had some time-loop continuums in his life that they resolved together... and Sarai had to put Malpercio to sleep for good. The time of his reign is long past, and he should not return to this world._

"So what is your mission?"

_I don't know. We Spirits never come to this world knowing our mission. Half the "fun" of it is figuring it out._

"You Spirits call this fun?"

S'rian sighed, and Xelha could hear a little bit of sardonic amusement in his voice.

_Being here is not fun. There are times when being with Fee is enjoyable, or when conversing with people is amusing... But being unable to touch, to speak, to exist... That is the challenge. We cannot exist, in the living sense of the word. We are passive interference only, until our mission is accomplished._

"And then you die?"

_What?_

"When you leave here, do you die?"

There was a long pause, in which Xelha wished she hadn't asked the question.

_I do not know._

"So you could die when you leave? We sent Sarai to her death, because we told her we didn't need her?"

_I don't know. I have never met Sarai... I came to the Shrine after she had already left this world. We Spirits don't know if this is the last journey we take, so this could be the end._

"Is it worth it? Knowing you could die when you leave Fee?"

S'rian smiled, and Xelha felt a hint of warmth that reminded her of joining with Sarai, so many years ago. _It will be worth it. Knowing you people will be worth it. Knowing Fee..._

"You love him, don't you? I mean love in a brotherly way." She really didn't need to clarify to the Spirit, but the secrets he was revealing to her made him seem more human and more… fallible, as if he were prone to the same human misconceptions that Kalas or Xelha were.

_Because of the situation between Spirit and human, the love has to be more than platonic. He is the reason I am here... The only person I would stay here for. He is my soul mate, until I leave here._ S'rian gave another smile. _If I didn't know that he hated Liane, I would be jealous of her, for how much time she spends with him._

"Do you care for me?"

_Of course I do. If I were human, I would die for you. Your whole family has made this journey enjoyable._

Xelha smiled. "I'm glad. It's been nice knowing you, S'rian... In case no one else tells you that."

_It has been nice knowing you, Xelha...and thank you._

"For what?"

_For reminding me why I am here._

The Spirit drifted out, leaving Xelha smiling into her glass.

* * *

_Morning, lazy,_ S'rian's chuckling voice roused Fee. He turned over and stuffed the pillow over his head, but the object did not keep S'rian's voice out. _Come on, Fee, there's work to be done!_

Fee grumbled something incomprehensible and swatted his hand out from under the blankets.

_Don't make me get your brother._

"Go 'head 'n' try," Fee muttered sleepily. "'E c'n't 'ear you."

He could hear footsteps coming down the hall, although they were muffled somewhat by his door and the pillow.

The door opened, and someone grabbed the pillow and yanked it off his head. "Wake up, Fee," Xelha's bright voice called, and then the shades were opened. Bright morning sunlight flashed into the room, stabbing at his eyelids. Fee groaned and hid his face in his hands, and his mother thwacked him with the pillow.

"Get up. You've been asleep for sixteen hours. We need you to reassure the younger Fee that you are all right."

Fee shot up, the last clouds of sleep flying from his head at the reminder of what had happened yesterday. "What happened? Is that kid all right? Is Dad all right?"

"I'm not sure, young Fee is fine, and your father's taking it hard." Xelha tossed a pair of clean pants and a soft cotton shirt at him. "Get dressed, I know what you look like naked but no one else in this family wants to see." Xelha closed the door behind her and went back down the hall.

Fee looked down and saw that he was in his undergarments. He jumped out of bed and quickly dressed. "S'rian?" He called as he pulled the shirt over his head.

_Yes?_

"How are you doing?"

_I had a chat with your mother last night and I'm doing fine now._

"Have you figured out those visions?"

_They are part of something larger... It is difficult to understand them._

"Am I going to see them?" He glanced in the mirror and brushed his hair quickly, putting the headband in it again. His hair was behaving today, as if it knew he was going to get a trim today and was trying to convince him that it was fine the length it was.

_Unfortunately, yes. We have such a good bond that if I see them, you will too. And they'll happen more frequently, since your uncle has shown up when he isn't supposed to be._

"My uncle? Oh, that kid. He is my uncle, I guess..." He grimaced into the mirror at that thought. "My uncle is younger than me."

_Don't grimace like that, it looks like you're going to be sick._

Fee laughed and made his way to the kitchen. It was 10 o'clock in the morning, according to the clock beside the sink, and his brother and sister were seated at the table sorting Magnus cards. Xelha handed him a bowl of hot oatmeal, and his stomach gurgled a thank-you. Fee took an apple from the fruit bowl and began peeling and slicing it... and then he saw him.

The younger Fee was watching him with an odd look. "What did you do to your hair, Kalas?" He asked carefully, and took a bite from his apple.

"Um..." Fee looked at his mother, who shrugged. "I dyed it...? I was looking for a change."

"Oh. All right... but you look better with all blue hair."

"I'll keep that in mind. Fee."

It felt weird saying his own name to this kid... He had never encountered someone with the same name before, because his name was quite original.

"So who are these people that you live with, Kalas?"

"My family," he started to say, but S'rian "poked" him, and Fee finished, "My friend's family. This is Xelha, Rikki, and Graye." Rikki and Graye gave him amused looks, but apparently Xelha had briefed them before young Fee came to breakfast.

"Where's Da... um, Rikki's dad?" He asked Xelha awkwardly.

"He's talking with Melodia and her advisors... I want you to take Fee and head over to the palace when you're done eating." Xelha stopped Rikki from emptying one of his cards, and sent him and Graye into the living room. "I won't have you skewering our new guest with an ill-placed sword," she said mock-threateningly.

"Come on, Fee," Fee said when he finished breakfast. "It's time to go."

"Can I speak to you for a moment, Kalas?" Xelha put the right amount of inflection into her voice, or Fee wouldn't have responded to his father's name.

"Sure." He followed her into the hallway. "Mum, how the hell am I supposed to deal with this kid? He thinks I'm his brother! I can't respond to my father's name..."

"Just do it until you get to the meeting. They are discussing what we should do about him." Xelha looked back into the kitchen, where the blonde boy was swinging his legs and biting into a second apple. "If they have to, Melodia can perform a memory-erase spell on him--"

"Will that really be necessary?"

"--Or they can help him understand. It might be necessary, Fee," Xelha chided at the look of anger on her son's face, "Especially if he finds that you've been lying to him this entire time!"

"You're right," he sighed, and shrugged. "Fine, I'll do it. But I don't want him to hate me for this..."

Xelha smiled. "From what little Kalas would tell me about his brother, he was very level-headed."

"I hope so." Fee went and collected his uncle, and they were soon on the path to Balancoire.

Little Fee scampered ahead, giving Fee time to speak with S'rian, who had been curiously silent for most of breakfast.

"Is something wrong?"

_Didn't your father say that Fee didn't have wings?_

"None of us have wings now-- oh, but he had wings in the tunnel!"

_He did._

"But why does he have them now if he didn't before?" Fee shook his head and looked up the path. The blonde child had his head up to the sun, arms spread, turning slowly in the sunlight. It looked like he was trying to collect it, to spin it around himself like armor.

"Kalas?" The boy called, and smiled, still peering up through the foliage at the pale blue sky.

"Yes, Fee?" Fee went to stand near the child, looking up with him. Large, wispy clouds breezed across the blue abyss, punctuated by the brilliant colors of the leaves dancing below the sky. At times like this, with the sky so close, Fee felt like he really could spread wings and fly.

"Do you remember the promise?"

Fee's heart caught in his throat. What promise?

_May I speak through you, Fee?_ S'rian asked, moving close enough to stir the hairs on his neck. Fee backed up into him, giving him permission, and S'rian responded, "The promise about the ocean?"

The young Fee looked back at him, pale lashes surrounding pale eyes. He smiled, and the corners of his eyes crinkled. "That's the one. Have you found it yet?"

"Not yet, Fee. Hopefully soon."

"I'm glad you found me, Kalas." He skipped on ahead, and S'rian glided up, out of Fee's body.

_Interesting._

"What?"

_That I knew what he was talking about. Could this promise be why he is still here?_

"This is a giant puzzle to you, isn't it?" Fee came up to the gates, where the young blonde was waiting.

S'rian chuckled. _It certainly is._

Fee's uncle had a curious expression as he looked at the gates. "These weren't here before..."

"They're very recent, er, additions," Fee said, mentally berating himself for not realizing that things would look very different to the young Fee, who was used to how Mira had appeared almost 20 years ago.

Young Fee leaned into the doors, and called "Kalas" over to help him open them. He seemed to take the "recent additions" comment fairly well, but he stopped in his tracks once he caught sight of the Magnus shop that had replaced the burnt remnants of their home. "Friends really came and fixed it, didn't they?" He asked, looking up at Fee, and Fee remembered that he had told the child that to try and comfort him.

"Yeah, but I moved in with Xelha and Rikki after the fire."

Tiny Fee was silent for a long while, as they made their way to the palace. At the front door of the palace, the child looked up and said, "Time has passed since you left me, hasn't it?"

Fee was amazed that this boy could grasp such an advanced concept, but just nodded solemnly, not trusting himself to speak.

"How much time?" The young Fee looked up at him, and he put his hand on the boy's shoulder.

"I'll let Rikki's father explain that one, Fee."

"I'm scared, Kalas," little Fee said, and grabbed his hand.

"It'll be fine," Fee soothed, but he wasn't at all sure of that. He led the trembling youth toward the new conference room, which had been added beyond the entrance hall where everyone had gathered yesterday. The instrumental section was still roped off, and there was some confetti on the floor, but other than that he couldn't tell that major festivities had occurred here.

He could hear his father's voice, words indistinct, tone harsh. He didn't need to hear the words to understand that his father was upset with something. Fee knew that Kalas didn't intentionally whine, but the timbre of his voice leaned toward that extreme. Xelha had informed Fee that Kalas had been insufferably whiney for the first six months after they met, and that he had been able to tone it down. She had smiled knowingly when Fee said that he still sounded whiney.

Despite his complaint-filled earlier years, Kalas was now a duty-conscious citizen. For the past five years, he had worked as an advisor to Duke Calbren and now Duchess Melodia, because he had a lot of information about happenings in the other four "islands," now called "states" because they were rooted in the earth. Xelha tended to stay out of politics, although all of the "state" rulers treated her with great respect.

Fee was halfway across the hall, his uncle trailing close behind, when S'rian warned, _Incoming!_ Fee looked to his right and was nearly bowled over by Liane. He caught himself by putting a foot back and grabbing Liane's shoulders, and then she curled against his shoulder and started talking, nearly in hysterics.

"Are you all right, Fee? I was so worried about you, I told you not to move! Why did you go and get hurt? To think, some flea-bitten scoundrel attacking my dear Fee! Did you hit him back? When I become Duchess, I will close off that path down there, and make sure that no children run amok in those dirty, disgusting sewers! And those rats are so--" She cut herself off, startled, because young Fee was tugging on her sleeve. "What?" Liane demanded impatiently.

"You leave my brother alone!" He said quietly, and a dark fury shone in his pale eyes, clouding them.

"How dare you speak to me that way?!" Liane hissed, and pulled back from Fee. Her face went from white to pink in angry splotches on her upper cheeks. "You should address me as 'Lady' or 'Miss', at the very least! And you're lying, Fee doesn't have a brother as small as you-- you must be that scoundrel that attacked Fee!"

"You don't deserve to be called 'Lady'!" the child snapped back, glaring calmly at her. His eyes were the only part of him that looked mad.

Liane gave a loud huff of indignation and slapped him.

The young blonde uncrossed his arms and moved a step back, shocked for a moment.

Fee stepped between them as Liane pulled her hand back for another slap. "Stop it, Liane." He caught her wrist so she wouldn't turn her hand against him.

"You're protecting him?"

_Look at Fee,_ S'rian prompted quickly. Fee turned, expecting tears or maybe a counter-slap.

Little Fee was floating four feet off the ground, arms crossed. There was a shining vague blur behind him, and Fee realized that the blur was actually wings, opaque and white. He was hovering, wings moving like a hummingbird's, making a faint whirr as they moved. Fee's eyes glinted with light reflected from his wings.

"How is he doing that?" Liane asked, and clutched Fee's arm.

"Wings of the heart," he responded softly, and called, "Come down now, she won't hurt you."

"Can you be sure, Kalas?... But you're not really Kalas, are you?" The young Fee looked hurt. "She called you my name."

"You're right...I'm Kalas's son. I was named after you." Liane watched this exchange mutely, for once, and Fee released her arm. "I'm sorry we had to deceive you, Fee. Please come down."

"Then who is my brother?"

"I am," Fee's father called from the doorway of the throne room. "Come over here, Fee, and I'll prove that I am Kalas."

The blonde fluttered over to hover in front of Kalas, who pulled him close and whispered something in the child's ear. The young Fee looked at him for a long moment, then nodded. He came down to the ground and stopped his wings. They hung down awkwardly for a moment, the glow gone. Most of the feathers were bent or broken; some of them were snapped at the shaft, the upper part of the feather gone completely. There was no way those wings could hold Fee up without the magic that made them Wings of the Heart. Uncle Fee pulled the wings back into himself with a weak glow, then looked at Fee with dark eyes.

Fee felt the sting of rejection, and even though the deception wasn't his fault, he felt guilty. _You did what you had to, Fee. There's nothing wrong with that._ S'rian touched his face, gently. _Look on the bright side; Liane hasn't spoken for nearly three minutes!_

Fee had to fight not to laugh; there was nothing funny about the situation except S'rian's comments, and Liane couldn't hear the Spirit.

"Come here, Fee," Kalas said, and when Fee looked over, his father was beckoning for him to come along. Liane followed him mutely, but gave young Fee a wide berth; Fee knew her better than to think that she was ashamed of her actions. She was worried about self-image.

They returned to the conference room. There was a large square table in the center of the room, Lady Melodia and the chief Guardsman already seated at the table, side by side. Guardsman Tever was Melodia's husband and Liane's father, completely devoted to his wife and her safety. His dark green hair was tucked up under the tan cap of the Guard uniform.

Kalas took the seat beside Tever, and Melodia smiled as young Fee took the seat beside his brother. Liane tried to pull Fee along with her, to sit on the other side of Melodia, but young Fee reached out as they passed. His hand was warm and soft as it caught at Fee.

"Sit next to me," young Fee suggested, giving Liane a glare of contempt, and Fee gladly sat beside him.

_I sense that he's jealous._ S'rian sighed against Fee, and continued, _Maybe he can make Liane back off. If she thinks your uncle is going to attack her whenever she tries to spend time with you, it might change her mind._

Thankfully the younger Fee was watching Kalas so he didn't see the inappropriately timed smile.

"Fee," Kalas said, and young Fee looked up.

"Yes?"

"It has been almost twenty years since you left me."

The boy looked down at the table. "You left me for that long?"

"Actually, you left me for that long. Sarai-- my Guardian Spirit-- told me that you gave your energy to me in the Shrine, when you died."

"I don't remember that."

"I don't either, but my Guardian Spirit wouldn't have lied about that." Kalas took a deep breath, and continued, "I don't know why you're here, but I'm glad you are."

Young Fee looked up suddenly. "I want to know where those twenty years went! Why don't I remember them?"

Kalas shook his head and caught one of young Fee's hands. "You might have temporary amnesia. I wish Sarai were here... She always seemed to know more than she said, and maybe she could have given us some answers."

_Mizuti might know,_ S'rian suggested quickly, and Kalas jumped a little.

"How do you know Mizuti?" Kalas asked confusedly. "S'rian, as far as I know, you've never met her."

_I've heard of her. Fee's friend, the one from Duhr, knows of Mizuti. And you've said a few times that Mizuti wanted to go visit Sarai in her world._

"That's true," Kalas said, and rested his hand on his chin. "We need more information, S'rian. If you think of any, will you let us know?"

_Certainly._

Young Fee, Liane, and Tever were watching Kalas, confusedly.

My son's Spirit had a suggestion," Kalas explained, and Liane gave Fee a dirty look.

"You never said you had a Guardian Spirit!" She exclaimed and stood angrily. Her mother took Liane's hand, but the girl pulled it out of her mother's grip.

"What other lies are you telling, Fee? Is your name not actually Fee? Do you lie about liking me, too?" She dashed out of the room in tears, and none too soon, because Fee was fighting so hard not to smirk.

Melodia shook her head. "Shall we proceed?" She was smiling knowingly at Fee, which made him feel a little better about nearly laughing at Liane. In the back of Fee's mind, he could hear S'rian laughing, but he had distanced his presence from Fee enough that no one else heard him.

"We need to figure out why my brother is here and now, twenty years later. Is there anyone other than Mizuti, in case we can't find her, who might be able to help us?" Kalas looked over at Melodia, his blue eyes hopeful.

"We could go to each state, to see if any other Chronos displacements have happened," Fee suggested.

"That's a good idea," Kalas agreed, and added, "Lyude told me that Azha has been seeing strange phantoms, maybe ghosts. They are completely insubstantial, and can't affect anything in this world, but they may have something to do with this."

Melodia steepled her fingers against her lips and said, "I believe that Anuenue said they were having trouble with strange creatures in Holoholo Jungle. There haven't been any such things in the Shrine, have there Tever?"

Tever straightened in his seat. "No unusual activity; I'll have the Guards check it each shift, if you want."

"That would be helpful." The Duchess ran a hand through her hair thoughtfully. "Where would Time be disturbed in Mira?"

"Have any of the people of Reverence spoken to you lately?" Kalas asked.

Melodia bit her bottom lip for a moment. "They bring seemingly unimportant things to my attention every week. I will look into their complaints further."

This meeting was going too slowly for Fee. They needed to do something about the misplaced younger Fee, and to find out if there was any way to fix it.

As the adults talked further about cautionary steps they could take, S'rian spoke quietly to Fee. _This isn't their problem to solve, Fee. If it could be solved by them, I wouldn't be here. We should ask for permission to go investigate the other states, to see if there's some way to unravel it ourselves. They've given us several hints: we need to go to Anuenue, and Alfard... I think Sadal Suud is also on our hit list, since that was where Melodia and your father distorted Sarai's memories. There's plenty for us to do._

"I'm included in this?" He whispered.

S'rian smiled, a warm curl in Fee's chest. _You said you wanted to help... we can figure this out together. I need your help._

So Fee cut into the next silence, "Dad? Can S'rian and I go to the other states, to see if anything's amiss?"

Kalas looked at him thoughtfully for a moment, then said, "I don't see why not. As long as your mother agrees, and you bring someone else with you."

Fee instantly thought of Dariye and Gimmel. He grinned. "I've got two people who would love to come with me. I'll just go ask Mom."

"See me before you leave, Fee. I've got something to give you."

"Thanks, Dad." Fee stood up and nodded his head toward Lady Melodia, then turned and went out the door.

He stopped when he heard his name called. Young Fee was running toward him, his eyes bright as he nearly flew across the floor. "Thank you, Fee," he said softly, and handed him something. "I'm glad you're going to help me."

The young blonde turned and dashed back to his brother in the conference room. Fee opened his hand and saw a headband with two feathers tied to one side. The smaller feather was an opalescent one, delicate and curvy, while the larger one was gray with darker markings on the outside edge. The smaller one was curled against the larger, as if it was looking to the larger feather for protection.

_These are wing-feathers... the small one is Fee's, but whose is the larger?_

"No clue." Fee ran his fingers along the smaller one, then the larger. The opalescent one felt wet, like it had been dunked in water, and the larger felt fuzzy and airy, as if it was just a bit of cloud. "Who else has Wings of the Heart, these days?"

_When people had them, it was a sign of friendship. You give someone a piece of your heart-wings if you care about them._

Fee turned and watched the small body close the door behind him. "I hope I deserve it."

_You know you're a heartless bastard, Fee. Let's go._

Fee laughed. "Okay."


	4. Chapter 3

Baten Kaitos: Illusory Wings and the Question for the Ocean

Summary: It has been almost twenty years since the return of the Ocean. Fee, the son of Kalas and Xelha, and his Guardian Spirit must save the world from a dark imbalance of Chronos. Features a whole new cast of characters and some old favorites, too.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Baten Kaitos, Namco, and anything else that belongs to someone else. I will not profit from this story in any way shape or form (other than enjoying a much-needed sequel).

Author's notes: Thank you to my two reviewers, and also to whoever drafted this story onto the BK C2! I appreciate when readers leave messages saying that they enjoy the story, it makes me want to post more:)

Chapter 3

"I wish I could fly," Fee stated wistfully, and leaned back over the railing of the airboat to look up at the cloud-filled pale sky. Their boat was nearly to Anuenue, and when they got there, they were going to Savyna's restaurant. The pilot of this twenty-foot air-ship was an elderly gentleman with large gray eyes who piloted this path between Mira and Anuenue twice daily. Fee, Dariye, and Gimmel were on the evening flight, which had left Mira an hour before sunset. The sky was bright and orange to the ship's left-- starboard, Fee mentally corrected himself-- and Anuenue was coming into view directly in front of the prow.

"Why would you want to do that?" Dariye asked, leaning her elbows against the rail and letting the warm breeze dance in her hair. It was a deceptive breeze, pretending that it was a springtime gale heralding the summer, rather than a fading summer breeze chased by autumn. The wind felt nice against his bare arms. Fee ran his finger down the old sword-scar on his forearm and looked back at Dariye.

"Flying looks like fun."

She shook her head and giggled. "It looks scary, Fee. I can't imagine leaving the earth."

Gimmel snorted from Fee's other side. "You are on an air-ship, Dariye."

"You know what I mean. Flying with your own two wings... What if you forget how to fly?"

Fee shook his head. "Do you ever forget how to walk?"

"When we were little, we had a hard time walking. Look at any infant," Dariye pointed out. "Same concept."

"If you knew how to do it since birth, it would be more natural than walking."

"I'd still rather walk," she said, and smoothed her hair as it curled around in her face. The wind blew the feathered headband against Fee's cheek, and he smoothed them back, enjoying the soft slippery feel of the smaller one between his fingers. His uncle could fly and he hadn't had his wings growing up. Fee suspected it came as easily as blinking, or swallowing.

The three companions stood in friendly silence for a long moment, enjoying the panoramic view of their world, and then Dariye spoke.

"I don't understand how I got my father to let me go," she said, and sat down with her back pressed against the wooden slats of the railing.

Fee chuckled. "I keep expecting to see him barreling towards us, ready to jump ship and drag you back." Fee looked over at Gimmel. "But your parents were eager to see you go!"

"They said they wanted a vacation from being parents," he shrugged, and then smirked. "It got me away from them. Can't complain!"

"I still can't get over that look on your mother's face, Fee." Dariye giggled. "She had kittens when you told her that your dad had already given you permission."

"Mum's like that sometimes. She likes to watch out for us." Fee turned toward the sun, the last warm rays of the day sinking into the skin of his cheeks, tingling with heat. The middle of his back itched suddenly, and he spun to look off the starboard side, where they were situated. His fingers found the warm shard of the Ocean Mirror in his pocket; his mother had given it to him when she realized that he was leaving whether she gave her permission or not. Even though it was broken, the Ocean Mirror was still a powerful symbol of the triumph of good over evil, and Fee held it now as if it could ward off whatever was out there.

_It's nothing, Fee._ S'rian smoothed the tense muscles around the itch, and Fee relaxed as it disappeared. Someone had to be following them, watching them. It might even be the person that had affected the Chronos in the first place, making sure that no one disturbed his or her magic until whatever needed doing was accomplished.

"Keep your eyes open, S'rian," he said quietly, and his companions looked at him.

"Is there trouble?" Gimmel asked, looking intently around. Dariye got to her feet and watched Fee.

"Just a bad feeling," Fee said.

_My eyes are always open, _S'rian soothed.

Dariye looked at Fee and said, "I've been feeling a prickle in my back lately, like someone is boring a hole into my back with their eyes. I thought it had something to do with Chronos being disrupted." Because they were coming along on his journey, Fee had told them almost everything about how Chronos was being affected. He had left out the visions that he and S'rian shared, mostly because he felt they were personal and that Dariye and Gimmel might baby Fee, checking that he was all right every five minutes or keeping him out of the action. This was his adventure, and he wasn't going to let them take his glory from him.

S'rian snorted as that peripheral thought touched the Spirit's presence.

Fee ignored him and said to Dariye, "I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels that someone or something is following us, creeping up on us."

"It doesn't feel malignant, at least not to me. It feels like someone who wants to help, but is too afraid to, or can't because her allegiance lies elsewhere."

"You say 'her,' like you know the gender of this someone," Fee suggested, and Dariye's face grew concerned.

"I don't know why I said 'her'... It just seemed right." Dariye suddenly gasped and pointed toward Anuenue. "Look! I can see the Celestial Tree!" Fee squinted and tried to follow where her finger was pointing, but he couldn't see anything resembling the large tree.

"You have much better eyes than I do," he said to Dariye, who looked over at Gimmel.

"You can see it, can't you, Gimmel?"

Gimmel turned back to Dariye and shrugged. "Not really."

"You two are blind," Dariye said laughingly.

_People of Duhr origin have better night-vision than people of the Sky_, S'rian said, startling Fee, who hadn't realized that his Guardian was paying attention to the conversation.

"Do they really?" He asked to keep the Spirit talking. S'rian had been distant since this morning, right after Fee had approached his mother about going on the mission.

_They do. It had to do with living under the Taintclouds for so many centuries; they developed an augmented vision. Their eyes usually interpret the infrared and heat waves and translate it into better focus. It's something that they will lose over many centuries if they remain in the states._

"Hmm. I didn't even know that," Dariye said, and explained to Gimmel what S'rian had said.

Fee leaned back to admire the sky again, and his vision blurred. Fee's hand clenched at the railing as the sky shimmered like a heat aura, and suddenly S'rian's aura was inside Fee's, curling around Fee's heart as he had when they first joined. It felt a little tight and restrictive at first, but S'rian did _something_ and they were sharing Fee's body, breathing as he breathed, feeling the wind brush soft against his face, experiencing the rough wood beneath his hands. It felt like he was experiencing his body for the first time, every movement bringing a pleasing sensation that set his nerves tingling with information that they had not carried in a long time...

The vision blew those tingling senses away like a giant snuffing a candle. There was a large rainbow-swirled circle in the center of his vision, calling to him with its hypnotic motion, and hiding inside that sphere was Cor Hydrae. How he knew the name, Fee would never know... but it struck him with fear and awe, and a certain excitement, as if it was the fulfillment of some dark sinister plan in the core of his existence.

And then it was gone. S'rian was still curled around his soul, protecting it from that darker desire that did not belong to him. Together they pushed the darkness away. A light touch at his arm shattered the perfect joining, casting them back into their separate essences. "Fee?"

Fee opened his confused eyes and looked at Dariye. "Yes?" He asked softly, and he was surprised that he could speak normally. His body felt empty, as if it was too large for just one soul.

"You went all weird for a moment there." She smiled cautiously, and then blushed. "I'm sorry if I disturbed a private moment."

Fee opened his mouth to speak, but stopped at the unguarded look in Dariye's eyes. Was that... jealousy? She turned from him, and he decided that it would be better if he didn't say anything at that moment.

Gimmel walked towards them from across the boat, and Fee realized that he hadn't seen Gimmel leave them. Fee reached for S'rian, but the Spirit was far away, dealing with the vision. "The boatman says we'll be docking in five minutes."

"Really?" Dariye asked, sounding herself again, and Fee looked at her for a moment. She turned to look towards Anuenue, and Fee's eyes followed her.

"That snuck up on us," Fee said with a low whistle of appreciation. What had seemed so small and far away but minutes ago was now large and getting larger. The angle they were approaching at made the Tree invisible, hidden by the bulk of the state, and Fee doubted that Dariye had actually seen it.

"Amazing," Dariye breathed, and Fee realized that this was her first time away from Mira. He knew that Anuenue was breathtaking, of course, with its twin rainbows arcing around the top corner, but he had seen it before and it no longer held him in rapture.

"It is a nice view," Gimmel said, and Dariye smiled.

They waited the rest of their journey in silence, and when the boat docked, the pilot waved a cheerful goodbye to them. They were not his only passengers, but they were the most polite, and he had held the boat for them while they finished their packing. Their four small packs were hefted onto their shoulders, and with a final wave they headed out.

Fee and S'rian had picked their itinerary carefully. Tonight they would find accommodations at Savyna's restaurant, which served as an alternate rest stop to the Magna Shop, whose cramped sleeping spaces were not very comfortable. Tomorrow they would go into the Jungle to assess the strange rumored creatures, and make a stop at the School of Magic, to see if the Principal there had any hints or clues. They would move on the day after, making use of Savyna's personal air-craft (which she had promised to them) to make the journey to Alfard. They would check in with Councillor Lyude, and perhaps investigate the ghost/spirits haunting Azha, and rest in the Imperial Palace. The next day, S'rian wanted to make a private trip into the Lava Caves, to see where Kalas and Sarai had split ways.

After that, they would skip over to Sadal Suud, to check if there were any lingering spirits or memories in the place where Sarai's memories had been corrupted. This stop and the trip into the Lava Caves had seemed so important to S'rian that Fee was dying to know exactly what the Guardian was hoping to get from tracing Sarai's figurative steps. He hadn't pried, though, and S'rian hadn't offered any information.

It was a long trek across Anuenue, and the bags grew heavier as they walked, but soon they saw the lights that said that the Turning Leaf was not far ahead.

"Finally," Dariye complained, shifting her bag uncomfortably on her shoulders. "I thought we were lost, Fee."

"I know how to get here," he replied, and wriggled his shoulders around.

"Looks like the party here is in full swing," Gimmel pointed out, and indeed it was. As they stepped through the ivy-garlands that decorated the entrance, the roar and press of people hit them like a physical force. They made their way to the bar, narrowly avoiding a tottering man who was a little too drunk for the early hour of the night. But no matter how drunk the bar-goers became, fights never started here, because Savyna would finish them.

Mayfee smiled as Fee and Gimmel wedged into a spot at the bar. Her short black hair hung free around her ears, curled coquettishly into a suave bob, and her brown eyes widened as she recognized him.

"Fee? Wow, look at you! You've grown about three inches, haven't you?" She clasped his hand excitedly and looked over at Dariye and Gimmel. "Who are your friends?"

Fee introduced them, and then Mayfee had to come around the bar and hug him. Normally this would have embarrassed him, having a girl hanging off him, but this was Mayfee, and he hugged her back. "Where's Savyna?" He asked, and she led them into a back room after catching the other bartender's attention.

Savyna looked up as Mayfee entered, and gave a small smile. "I'm glad you could make it. Are you hungry?" Savyna had always struck Fee as quiet and reserved, and today was no exception. She was wearing a pair of green slacks with long black boots, which hit her just above the knee. A zigzagged shirt in shades of red and purple, which would have looked horrendous on anyone else, especially in combination with the pants, made her black hair look striking and her sharp features a little softer. Fee glanced back at Mayfee and noticed that she was wearing nearly the same outfit, without the brightly designed top. Hers was a deep shade of maroon.

It wasn't hard to understand why Mayfee worshipped Savyna; the older woman was an excellent example of a female who was not content to be a housemaid. Savyna had made this building with her own two hands, had set up the blooming restaurant all by herself, and was now it's manager. Mayfee and another of the employees brought Savyna a plate of hot meat rolls and a plate of mugs with warmth curling from the tops.

"How is your family, Fee?" Savyna asked, and took a drink from her tea mug. The three travelers helped themselves to the meat rolls, savoring the spices that had been loaded into the crust and the meat.

"They are fine. Graye is nine, now, and as adventurous as she was on our last visit here." Graye had climbed halfway up the Celestial Tree before anyone realized she was missing, and Mayfee had been the one to find her. The Tree was a lot safer now than it had been eighteen years ago, before Cor Hydrae had been demolished, but there were still dangerous forest creatures living in it.

Savyna chuckled deep in her throat, and Dariye and Gimmel explained a little of their family life to her.

S'rian curled his warm presence against Fee, and Fee let out a soft sigh. _I'm sorry about earlier... The memory took me before I could get away from you._

"It felt nice," Fee whispered, and Savyna gave him an odd look. Fee blushed a little, and hurriedly explained, "My Spirit is speaking to me."

Savyna nodded her understanding and took another swig from her mug.

_We'll talk later about this, Fee. _S'rian did not leave Fee, but hovered just behind him, brushing against him every so often as if needing the phantom touch. Fee wondered if that meant that S'rian truly did not want to leave, that he was being forced to leave when the time came.

"Have you heard anything about the new dark creatures that are supposedly hiding in Holoholo Jungle?" Dariye asked, leaning her cheek into the palm of her hand and resting her elbow on the table. Her other hand was curled around the handle of her mug, one nail tapping against the porcelain.

"I've seen them," Savyna replied grimly. "They are unlike anything I've ever seen... they're secretive and prone to hiding. The only way you find them is if you stumble across their lairs."

"What do they look like?" Asked Fee.

Savyna sent one of her lackeys to her room to get the pictures she had taken. Savyna was nothing if not precise, and the pictures were crystal clear. A strange creature shaped like a cat, with a long tufted tail and silky fur, stared up at Fee from the glossy paper. The large wings that bloomed from its back looked downy soft. It had an orange-striped coloration with white accents at the nose and ears.

"What are they?"

"There is no name for them in Anuenue," Savyna said, and pointed at the face. "This one was female, and they are able to mate and produce young."

"Do they fly?" This practical question was from Gimmel.

"They fly almost exclusively. This one is hovering above the ground, actually, like those wings are Wings of the Heart." She handed them a second picture, the same creature launching upward with its wings curled underneath its body. The third picture had a darker creature, the eyes on it large and green. The accent color for this one was black, and the orange was more of a dull sienna. This one appeared larger than the first, and Fee guessed that this was the male.

"How can creatures have Wings of the Heart?" Fee demanded.

"They can't." Savyna shrugged, and offered them the fourth and fifth pictures. "These here are the other type of creature. This type looks deceptively docile compared to the felines, but they are actually the more dangerous of the two." The animal here had a single horn curving out from its equine head, looking to Fee like a black unicorn. Upon closer inspection of the second picture, which had a slightly better focus, he saw that the front feet ended in hands, and the back in webbed flippers. It looked like this creature had evolved out of water at some point. There was a closed third eye directly below the horn, and the spacing of this eye made the whole face wider to accommodate it.

Fee put the two pictures side by side, noting that both poses were walking or standing poses, with no aggression to them. "Do they attack with their horn and feet?"

"They used a psychic-based attack against one of those cat creatures." Savyna ran her fingers up her arms as if cold, and Fee understood that Savyna was scared of the power these animals had. "It wasn't pretty. I was very glad that I wasn't under attack. I've only ever seen Mizuti use a psychic attack of the strength this animal used."

"Have you seen her around?" Fee jumped on the name Mizuti, partly because he had never met the sixth member of his parent's team, and partly because S'rian had made a point to bring her up more than once.

Savyna shook her head. "I believe she's been on Sadal Suud, doing some research. I'll ask around to see if anyone's heard from her lately."

"That would be appreciated. S'rian wants to strip her of any knowledge she might have."

"S'rian is your Guardian, correct?" Savyna set her mug down and refilled it from the kettle on the fire, then began refilling the trio's tea.

"Yes."

"I would recommend you speak with the Principal of Magic, in Komo Mai. I've had knowledgeable discussions with him about these new creatures, and he knows more about the why's and when's than I do."

"We were planning on seeing him anyway."

Dariye took a few crackers from the dish and asked, "Would you say that we shouldn't go after these creatures ourselves?"

Savyna's brown eyes grew serious. "Don't go out there, Fee. They can kill you, especially if they feel threatened."

_If Savyna is worried about these creatures_, S'rian murmured, _then they are more powerful than they should be._

"You think so, S'rian?" Dariye asked, and looked at Fee. "Where are they getting their power?"

_They are half-demons, I think, or something like that. Someone is calling Demonic Powers when they shouldn't be... Does this mean there is something of importance in Holoholo?_

"Is your Spirit speaking, Fee?" Savyna asked. "I'd really like to know what he has to offer this conversation."

Dariye began to explain, but Fee stopped her. "Wait, Dariye. S'rian can speak through me; it'll be easier on everyone."

S'rian went very still for a moment, that silent pause that told Fee that he was shocked. He rarely let S'rian speak through him, and never volunteered the idea.

"All right, S'rian?" Fee asked after a moment, and the Spirit chuckled.

_Yes. Thank you._

Fee sat back and S'rian merged into him. The curious tingling from their earlier bonding returned, and Fee could feel his being squish over to let S'rian in. They fit comfortably together, either soul able to control the body, and S'rian looked down at the hands that he could move. Fee could feel S'rian's surprise, his excitement, as the fingers responded to the thought S'rian sent to them. The hypersensitivity faded suddenly, and S'rian began speaking. Fee's lips moved and his larynx vibrated, but S'rian's voice came out. There was something very flat about S'rian's voice, some quality that was missing, but Fee couldn't place it. "I think these creatures are half-demon. Someone is conjuring them to discourage travelers in Holoholo."

"In other words, there is something hidden in the Jungle that they don't want anyone to find." Savyna leaned back in her chair and put one hand to her chin. "What could that be?"

"Something that is disrupting Chronos?" Gimmel suggested.

"Exactly." S'rian took a deep breath. "This someone has something to do with the events leading up to Malpercio's reincarnation. The pieces of Chronos I've seen make me want to meet Sarai, to compare notes and see if there was a loose end that she missed."

"Are you saying that Sarai didn't fix everything?" Dariye asked, and she looked a little shocked.

Fee's mouth opened and he laughed, but the sound that came out was S'rian's chuckle. "Honestly, that issue is between Sarai and the Powers that Be. I'm not criticizing her... on the contrary, I believe she did an excellent job with what she was given. However, what she did eighteen years ago is affecting what I am doing now, and I would like to discuss it with her." S'rian shrugged Fee's shoulders, a motion that felt awkward to Fee, who could do it naturally.

Savyna asked, "How is it that you can speak through Fee, when Sarai couldn't through Kalas? I wasn't aware this was common practice."

S'rian smirked. "I'd bet anything that Sarai could speak through Kalas, and that she did it at least once. Personal preference, or an unwilling host, are two things that stop a Spirit from taking over. Fee is open to me, so it is easy to speak through him. I can't imagine Kalas letting anyone speak for him like that."

One corner of Savyna's mouth curled up. "That's true. He doesn't even let Xelha speak for him."

"What can we do now, S'rian?" Dariye leaned her elbow on the table and looked at him with an uncomfortable stare that Fee recognized from the boat. It was definitely jealousy... Fee wasn't sure what he could say to Dariye that would fix that emotion, but he could feel S'rian cataloging the information to discuss later.

"There is someone behind this whole mess, and we need to find that person and stop him or her. I would suggest for you, Savyna, to go out into the Jungle and search for whatever they are guarding. We will go find the Principal of the School of Magic, and meet back together tomorrow afternoon to discuss our findings."

"That sounds like a good plan," Savyna agreed, and looked right at Fee. "Any problems with it, Fee?"

S'rian pulled back a little, and Fee said, "None at all. It's a plan."

"Excellent. Now, I have three rooms upstairs waiting for you, and breakfast is at seven. If there are no further questions, you three can head up and get a good night's sleep. You must be tired."

When Savyna mentioned bed, Fee realized how tired he was. Even being physically fit, he had had a rough time traipsing across Anuenue to the restaurant, which was just outside of Opu.

S'rian coiled out of Fee's body, leaving Fee empty and alone, his thoughts running sluggishly around his mind. The Guardian felt dark and brooding but gave Fee a smile and a mental shrug when Fee asked what the problem was. Fee knew that meant the Spirit was still deciphering what was bothering him, so he left him alone.

Beside him Dariye yawned and blushed. "I'm ready to head up right now," she said, and began packing their dishes onto the platter. Savyna waved her hands away and shooed them up the stairs, saying that she would clear the table for them.

Fee collapsed onto his bed and would have forgotten to take off his outer garments if S'rian hadn't reminded him. He grumbled a little but pulled off his shoes and shirt, then his pants and the pouch with the Broken Ocean Mirror and the cards his father had given him.

The first card contained a Call Spirit; this type of Spirit, while being rare and even dangerous in certain instances, was a powerful creature that could find anyone that Fee could name and picture in his mind. The Call Spirit would either pull the selected individual to Fee's side, using Chronos to leap places, or allow Fee to speak mind-to-mind with that person for a limited time. The second card had surprised Fee greatly, because Kalas hardly let anyone touch this object, let alone take it for an extended time. It was his winglet, the one that had been replaced during the final battle with Giacomo. Kalas had kept it religiously, polishing it nearly every week and putting it on about once a month. The metal piece that attached to the body had a sharp claw that clamped to the skin, and there was a needle that slipped through the back to attach to the spinal column, so the artificial wing would expand at the same time as the real one.

"I don't need it anymore," Kalas had said in explanation, handing the smooth metal contraption to Fee with both hands. "One of the last things Sarai told me was that I should keep it until I felt compelled to give it away. It has an electric field and an anti-gravity repulsor, so it can lift you off the ground all by itself." He had grabbed Fee by the shoulder and smiled. "Make me proud, Fee."

"You got it," Fee smiled, feeling that he could float away on his father's praise. He obviously trusted Fee enough to give him the one thing he had to remember his grandfather by, and Kalas didn't give praise very often.

_Now you see why I want to speak with Sarai,_ S'rian cut in, interrupting the memory. _She knew about you, she knew about Kalas's future before she left him. Obviously, she has some part to play in the events here._

"But she hasn't contacted you yet," Fee pointed out. "And Dad might not have given it to the right person... Maybe he was supposed to give it to his brother, maybe Fee loses a wing in this time..."

_I don't think so. It feels right for you to have it...which means that you are supposed to have it. Maybe you'll need it to fly up somewhere. _

"Up to an island, maybe?"

_Well, all five of the main islands are connected to the earth now. I'm not sure what happened to the Celestial Alps, or Wazn... Your mother never wants to talk about Wazn, even with Kalas._

Fee crawled under the light blanket and curled it around his bare shoulders, which were the only part of his body that was cold. He pulled the headband out of his hair and laid it carefully on the nightstand; Fee definitely did not want to crush the precious feathers.

_Fee. That second feather... I think it belonged to your father._

Fee sat up and pulled the headband over to him for scrutiny. "How do you figure?" He asked, and turned it over in his fingers. In the dancing light of the candle on the nightstand, the black edges on the gray feather shone with blue and silver, and the opalescent feather had rainbows spread out from the stem, each individual line depicting the entire stretch of color.

_I don't know why I think so, but it makes sense. I don't think Kalas's grandfather Georg had wings of the heart, and who else would Fee care for except Kalas? Xelha's called him her "dark-winged stranger" more than once._

"Yeah, I suppose. But why didn't this feather disappear when all the other wings disappeared?"

_Because Fee doesn't remember that time. Chronos took him and deposited him in the depths of the castle minutes before you found him. To Fee, the journey was instantaneous._

Fee frowned. "There are large holes in your theory, S'rian."

_I know. That's why it's a theory. _S'rian stretched against Fee, rubbing his shoulder as a cat would do. _That's an odd analogy,_ S'rian chuckled, and Fee realized that S'rian was catching his peripheral thoughts. He closed up, which made S'rian press a little more insistently against him. _Since we have shared your body twice today, being able to hear your thoughts is a lot easier. That will fade by tomorrow._

"Are you sure?"

_Not at all,_ said S'rian cheerfully. _That is also a theory._

Fee smiled a little, and snuffed the candle, being sure to put the headband back on the nightstand. "Good night, S'rian."

_Good night, Fee._

Fee's dream involved a great deal of closed doors, a younger Kalas with two dark wings and eyes filled with hatred, and the other Fee coming up to him and asking if he would destroy Malpercio before the god killed him. As Fee reached for his uncle, the child gave a frightened squeak and faded into mist. His wings remained, piteously beating against the world, struggling to protect a master that wasn't there, before they too faded away.


	5. Chapter 4

Baten Kaitos: Illusory Wings and the Question for the Ocean

Summary: It has been almost twenty years since the return of the Ocean. Fee, the son of Kalas and Xelha, and his Guardian Spirit must save the world from a dark imbalance of Chronos. Features a whole new cast of characters and some old favorites, too.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Baten Kaitos, Namco, and anything else that belongs to someone else. I will not profit from this story in any way shape or form (other than enjoying a much-needed sequel).

Author's notes: This chapter is not as long as the previous ones, simply because this is the end of my pre-written stuff. I spent maybe an hour fixing up this short bit and am posting it as soon as editing is done. I'm attempting to buy a used GameCube and steal my game back from my brothers so I can play it again, and hopefully get some ideas to continue. I'm truly sick of not finishing stories… But anyway…

Chapter 4

"Where is he then? We really need to speak with him." Fee was trying his hardest to not get angry with the young woman in front of him, despite the fact that she was being purposefully unhelpful.

"I don't think you want to speak with Lorrik," she said for the third time, a grin curling the corners of her mouth. She leaned her long frame against the doorjamb, her silky gray cloak pooling at her feet like water sluicing off of her. Her bright green eyes were snapping, and Fee could tell that she was enjoying herself.

Dariye put her hand on Fee's arm and stepped in front of him. "Please, just tell us where he is and we'll leave you alone!"

The girl's eyes narrowed. "You happen to be entertaining me. I don't want you to leave me alone."

Dariye turned to Fee with an angry look, as if begging him to do something about her. Fee gave her an astounded look and shrugged. Gimmel snorted from behind them, amused with their antics as well as the girl's.

"At least someone's enjoying himself," Fee snapped, and Gimmel only smiled harder. "Come on, Dariye. We'll just go ask someone else." Fee had a good look at the girl's angered face as they turned, and she gave a little huff of protest from behind them as they began walking away. There was a loud clap like thunder and a wind rushed past them, back towards the girl. Fee spun to look at the girl, but she wasn't in the doorway anymore. Dariye let out a gasp of surprise and Fee turned to her. The girl was now standing in the middle of the hallway three feet in front of them, her hands spread in front of her. One hand was gloved, the other was not. She was smiling again.

"I hope you didn't have any plans today, because I will not let you pass." She had teleported from one end of the hallway to the other. How had she done that?

"Let us through," Fee said in the silence, and Dariye grabbed his arm again.

"Did she just...?"

"Yeah, I saw it too, Dariye."

"Let's go," Dariye said with a shiver.

"You're not going anywhere." The girl shook her long black hair out of her face and stared, her grin still firmly in place. "I've been lonely lately; you're the first new people to come through here in a while."

"What is your problem?!" Fee all but shouted at her. What patience he had left was quickly dissipating. S'rian reached out and calmed Fee a little, and it helped.

"Who is that?" The girl asked, and looked right at Fee. Her smile was gone, and she now appeared cautious. Fee was not in any mood to enlighten her, although he knew she had felt S'rian's presence. She pondered, "Can you call Spirits too?" There was something to the way she said "Spirits" that made Fee wonder if her definition of Spirit was different from his.

_Keep walking, Fee. She can't touch you._ S'rian spoke. The Spirit was not surprised by the fact that she could feel him.

"How do you know that, S'rian?" The girl demanded, taking a step toward Fee and S'rian as if she could physically harm the Guardian Spirit. Fee stared at her, running through the previous five minutes to see if he had said his Guardian's name. S'rian went still/silent, and Fee wondered if perhaps this strange girl could affect the Spirit, since she knew his name without being told.

"What the hell are you doing, Raina?" A tenor voice called from behind the girl, and she turned to look at the dark-haired man in his early twenties that walked into the hallway. They shared the same ebony hair and petite nose, and Fee guessed that they were related.

"I'm entertaining these guests," she said sullenly, and Fee grinned at the idea that this man was spoiling her fun.

The man came up to her and reached out to take her gloved hand; the girl shuddered and tucked her hands beneath opposite elbows before his hand got close. "Don't touch me, Lorrik."

"So this is the Principal?" Dariye demanded, and Lorrik looked at Raina.

"You haven't told them that you are the Principal, have you?" He said this like he was scolding a five year old, and Raina gave him a glare that rocked him back. He put his hands up as if warding a blow, and hissed, "Behave yourself!" He caught her cloak and pulled her to him, muttering something so quietly that Fee could only hear the sibilants. Her eyes narrowed and she nodded, then leaned back with a pout. He turned back to Fee and his friends, and said, "I am Principal Lorrik; my apologies for my sister. Raina feeds off energy, and you three, not knowing her ways, made an excellent source. Come, Raina." He beckoned for Raina to precede them all into his room, and she teleported inside. Fee was watching this time, and the loud crack happened nearly a second after she disappeared.

Fee didn't particularly want to enter any room with Raina in it, but Lorrik held his arm out, gesturing for them to go in first, so Fee didn't really have a choice. Raina had seated herself at the table, her knees clutched tight to her chest. Her legs looked skeletally thin through the tight pants, and her elbows were very pointy. The cloak was draped over the back of her chair, the dark short sleeve shirt exposing her pale arms and neck. The black glove on her left hand stood out more clearly against the white of her wrist and forearms.

Lorrik took the seat beside Raina, and Fee and his companions took the three seats on the other side. Fee cleared the pile of papers off his chair and set them onto the already-full table. It was scattered with papers and odd contraptions, one of which Lorrik picked up and studied for a moment, then set back down. "What can I do for you? You appear to be travelers, from Mira, perhaps?"

"We are from Mira. We are investigating the creatures in Holoholo, to see if they have anything to do with a Chronos disruption we witnessed back in Mira."

"Hmm." Lorrik lifted a few papers and pulled out some photographs that looked very similar to Savyna's. "A good friend of mine took these pictures of those creatures..." He handed them over, and the pictures were almost exact duplicates of the once Savyna had; the restaurant owner must have taken these, as well. "What sort of disruption was it?"

"Someone who has been dead for eighteen years showed up out of the blue yesterday. No time had passed for this person, he looked exactly as he had eighteen years ago."

Lorrik bit his lip and looked at Fee. "Eighteen years is a long time for someone's soul to wait around. If you say this person died... Have you checked the grave, to make sure that the body is still intact?"

"That's the thing... There was no grave, no body." Fee squirmed a little, not sure how much he should reveal about his uncle.

"No body? Did this person die in a fire?"

_When this person died, he transferred his essence into another, gave up his life so that the other might live._ S'rian said this so confidently that Fee wanted to know how the Spirit knew this. Fe was about to relay it, but stopped when Lorrik looked curiously around.

"You have an interesting situation there, Spirit." He looked at Raina but asked Fee's companions, "Do you have a Spirit accompanying you, or is this one of Raina's?"

"He's not mine," Raina spoke up. She had been very quiet and docile since they entered the room. "_His _name is S'rian." She emphasized the pronoun with a sharp flick of her green eyes to Lorrik, as if telling him something with the slight emphasis. Fee couldn't tell if Lorrik had received the information she was giving him.

Fee watched Raina for a moment, but she was pointedly not catching his eye, as if she knew he was trying to stare her down and wanted no part in it. "He's my Guardian."

"What is your name?"

"I'm Fee, and this is Dariye and Gimmel."

"So you might be the son of Kalas and Xelha?" At Fee's surprised acknowledgement, Lorrik put his arms on the table. "A Miran Guardian Spirit accompanies you. Interesting. And Dariye... that smacks of Duhr origin."

"Lorrik sounds very Duhr as well," Dariye said in reply, and Lorrik smiled and leaned back.

"We are kin, then. Who is your father, Dariye?"

"Kamroh."

"The Great Kamroh?"

Dariye sighed. "My father's reputation precedes me always."

"It is hard not to know him like that. Our father is Harrin, a follower of Kamroh's rival, Krummley." Lorrik nodded. "And Gimmel… a remnant of the Empire's followers, yes?"

Gimmel nodded. "My parents were in the Empire's service twenty years ago."

Lorrik turned to Fee. "So... Fee son of Kalas, the soul of a person who died in self-sacrifice has returned out of Chronos, and you seek to return this soul to his or her proper time?" Lorrik picked up another instrument and twiddled with it; it made a humming noise that made Fee and his friends shiver and then went silent.

"I don't know what must be done. S'rian is leading this quest," Fee responded.

_There is more to be done than merely sending the one soul back. Chronos does not hinge on his return._

"The Great Mizuti could help," Raina suggested quietly, her green eyes flitting to Lorrik before continuing. "Mizuti knows about those things, and she is a powerful sorceress."

"Where is she?" Fee asked eagerly. "We've been trying to locate her."

Raina's eyes unfocused, and Fee jumped as one of her "Spirits" brushed against his peripheral senses. This Spirit felt strange and alien, not at all like the docile Spirits from Nekton. It was quite clearly male, although the voice it used was neutral, and sounded more a combination of tenor and soprano than just tenor. _She is hidden from us._

S'rian curled into Fee's body and said quietly, _That Spirit frightens me. He has too much power._ Fee knew that he was the only person that heard S'rian's voice, although he wasn't sure how that information came to him. The Spirit faded away, and Fee shivered at his passing. The clammy feeling in his palms did not recede as the Spirit left, and he wiped them hastily on his pants.

"What was that?" Dariye asked accusingly. She was rubbing her arms as if she was cold, but her stare was directly at Raina.

"That was Mieke," the black-haired girl answered, and looked right at Fee. Her right pupil was swirled with something warm and dark, the green sparkle covered nearly entirely. As he watched, the black coiled in and the green returned to the foreground. She blinked, and Fee blinked with her, not sure if what he had seen was a trick of the light.

"If we do see Mizuti, we will certainly let you know, Fee." Lorrik stood and offered Fee his hand. Fee took it, dazed for a moment, and Lorrik continued, "Unfortunately, I have a meeting to attend to. If you want, I can have all the information about these creatures brought to Savyna's restaurant. I wouldn't advise you three going out into the Jungle, though. From what Savyna told me, these creatures are hardly polite, and you three are rather young to be fighting them." Lorrik offered Dariye and Gimmel his hand, and walked toward the doorway.

"But... wait! You can't leave yet!" Fee blurted.

"I'm sorry, Fee. I have a meeting. I can't keep my visitors waiting."

"You haven't told us anything we don't already know about those creatures!" Dariye added.

Lorrik turned, and Fee could see stress in his face. "Then you know as much as I do. There is nothing else. They are possibly demons, and we have yet to defeat a single one of them." He ran a hand through his short black hair. "I can't help you right now, Fee. I will have a file sent over sometime today." He turned and slipped out of the room.

For his abruptness, Lorrik did seem genuinely sorry that he couldn't help them, but Fee couldn't get around the thought that he was hiding something. Something in his manner suggested that perhaps he knew more, but didn't want to divulge it because he felt they were unworthy... or too young. Fee let out a sigh and stood, and Gimmel followed suit.

"I can help you," Raina said softly, and Fee turned back.

"You've decided to be nice to us now?" He demanded coldly.

Raina stared right at him, no shame or apology on her face. Fee could swear that her mouth was twitching upward on one side. "You have proven yourselves as stubbornly insistent. I could help you, if you wanted my help."

"How old are you, Raina?" Gimmel asked.

"That doesn't matter," Fee snapped. "Why should we trust her, Gimmel?"

Gimmel's look was reproachful, a rare enough expression on his face that Fee immediately checked himself. The last thing he needed now was to divide his friends, and if Gimmel thought she was worth the hassle then perhaps she was.

"I think we should hear what she has to offer. We can't do this alone, Fee. Your mom's always going on about how they never would have made it without the others supporting them."

"I guess you're right," Fee sighed, and looked to Dariye.

She was not happy with the situation, and stared at Raina for a long moment before saying, "If you think its best, Fee, she can come along."

Raina looked at Fee, her eyes jaded for a moment.

S'rian whispered, _You haven't been very nice to her...This is your chance to make amends. _Dariye didn't hear the Spirit, and if Raina heard she had no reaction.

"Gimmel's right; we are going to need help."

Raina smiled, her eyes glowing again. "Thank you."

"So how old are you?" Gimmel asked again, and Raina brought one gloved finger up to her mouth in the gesture of silence.

"Haven't you ever been told that it's not polite to ask a lady her age?"

Gimmel frowned and looked down.

"That's not fair," Dariye snapped. "We don't want to bring a child into this dangerous mission with us!"

Raina rolled her eyes. "I'm twenty years of age. You three are children to me." With that, she disappeared, the wind whistling past Fee and his friends as she did so.

Dariye just shook her head, although Gimmel looked upset about her sudden departure. Fee cut off the undoubtedly nasty thing Dariye was about to say. "There's nothing more we can do here. Since we can't go into the Forest, we might as well head back to Savyna's."

"Yeah," Gimmel agreed, and they headed back to the Turning Leaf.

Kalas was seated on the stone ledge across the aqueduct, his legs dangling off the side. His feet swung back and forth, mere feet from the rushing water, but for some reason he felt the naïve invincibility of his youth. It had been a long time since he had done this sort of reckless thing, and if Xelha were here she would reprimand him.

But it was not Xelha seated beside him.

His brother looked up at him, a genuine smile on his thin lips, and leaned forward to watch the water. "You've changed, Kalas," he said.

Kalas smiled too, but his was bittersweet. _More than you know, brother._ Out loud he said, "I've grown up."

Fee tossed a rock into the water, observing the ripples passively for a moment. "You've forgotten me."

Kalas looked at his younger brother, startled. The long years he had mourned and plotted revenge for his brother meant nothing to Fee, because to Fee they didn't exist. "I killed the man that killed you and Grandfather… For three years I hunted down Giacomo—I avenged you!"

"You think revenge is what I wanted?"

"I…" The way Fee looked at him brought out those feelings from his youth. He felt angry again, angry at Giacomo for taking his family, but also impatience with his brother. Why couldn't he understand that Kalas had moved on? Twenty years had passed since the last time he saw Fee's face. Didn't that mean anything to him?

Apparently it did, because after a moment, Fee rested his hand on Kalas' arm. "I'm sorry, Kalas. I'm not used to the idea that this all happened a long time ago. I'm glad that you named your son after me. I just wish I could have been an Uncle to your children."

"It's not your fault," Kalas said, his anger dissipating as quickly as Fee's had.

Fee dropped another rock into the water. "I know. I just wish someone would tell me why this is happening."

"My son's Guardian Spirit is trying to figure it all out."

"Guardian Spirit?" Fee asked, looking up with extreme interest. "They still exist?"

"They do. S'rian is the first one to cross over in about ten years."

A smile grew on his brother's face. "I'm glad, because it means that the Spirits haven't given up on us."

Kalas smiled back. "That's a nice way to think about it."

Kalas heard his name being called from a distance, and looked over his shoulder to see Rikki waving at them.

"It must be time for dinner!" Fee exclaimed, spinning around and jumping off of the stone barricade. Kalas noted that he had to move a lot slower than his brother. He was thirty-six, after all. Age was starting to catch up with him. He watched Rikki and Fee interact for a moment, and his spirits lifted. Perhaps his son Rikki, who was fourteen, could be a surrogate brother for Fee. Graye was more of Fee's age, but she took after her mother, and Kalas felt that they wouldn't get along.

"Coming, Dad?" Rikki called, and Kalas nodded.

"Let's go, boys."

Fee followed Rikki, just as he had followed Kalas around, so many years ago, and Kalas felt better about the whole situation.


End file.
